From the Bloghttps://www.northernmonkbrewco.com/blog
enHOP CITY 2018 | THE LOWDOWN https://www.northernmonkbrewco.com/blog/2018/03/hop-city-2018-the-lowdown
<span class="submitted-by">Posted: 25 March 2018</span>
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<p>With a little over a week to go, we’re working hard on putting the finishing touches to the second Hop City festival here at Northern Monk – and very much looking forward to the beers pouring next Thursday! </p>
<p>It’s been a particularly wild couple of months for us as we prepared to go into and were subsequently blown away by our Crowdfunding campaign. A big thanks to all those on our Hop City organising committee; Rich, Matt, Amy, Nick, Charlotte, Billy and co. Whilst the company has gone through one of its biggest months, these guys have been diligently working away on what promises to be another incredible festival. The beer list has had us salivating for weeks, the list of one-offs is unprecedented, the food traders are some of the finest the North has to offer, we’ve upped our glassware game, oh and this year we’ve got DJ Format to play us out. </p>
<p>Last year Hop City was described as a massive house party with some of the best beers in the world. It was with this feedback in mind that we prepared for Hop City 18. The party starts this Thursday. </p>
<p>Now, let’s get down to the details… </p>
<p>The festival is very close to being a sell out, and we’d like to thank everyone who has bought tickets so far. There have been many, many questions about the festival, so we’ll try to answer as many as possible here, as well as shedding some light on how to get the best out of your Hop City experience.</p>
<p>SESSIONS &amp; TIMES<br />
The festival sessions will run Thursday/Friday/Saturday 6pm-10:30pm, with daytime sessions also on Friday &amp; Saturday running 11:30am-4pm. Afternoon session attendees will have until 4.30 to leave the premises, and pouring will cease at 3.45pm &amp; 10.15pm respectively – we ask that all of our guests please be considerate &amp; respectful to surrounding residents when leaving the festival.</p>
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<p>BEER &amp; TOKENS!<br />
Once again, we’ve gone all out to bring you a great beer list, and hats off to all the breweries involved for getting behind the fest to produce so many special beers and new releases! All sessions will start with the same line-up to give all attendees equal opportunity to try all the beers on offer over the weekend - so whether you are coming on Thursday evening or Saturday evening, you will have equal access to the same amazing beers.<br />
We have made a concerted effort this year to provide a balanced list, with a range of styles and ABV’s – we have 19 non-IPAs, 16 beers below 5%, and everything from Sours to Lagers to Table Beers and even a cheeky Bretted Stout from the folks at Legitimate Industries (they didn’t get the memo….)<br />
Draught beers will be served in third pint measures, and will cost 1 token for one measure with the tokens costing £2.70 each. You will be able to purchase tokens from two locations at the festival using either cash or card payments, and there will be a token bundle of 8 tokens for £20 available also. Tokens will be refundable at our token stands (at the bundle price of £2.50 per token) at the end of each session, they will not be refundable post festival.<br />
We tried very hard to keep the token price the same as last year - but with rising beer prices, increased freight costs, and a higher level of production, a small increase was necessary to ensure that the festival is financially viable to continue in the future...<br />
We’re confident that Hop City will be a blast for all of our guests and still represent great value for money – there are 8 extra breweries, 15 festival newcomers, and over 25 beers being brewed especially for the event!</p>
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<p>AIR FREIGHT &amp; LIMITS<br />
Hoppy beers are best fresh. You may notice that beers on the published list have chopped and changed a few times, and this is because all the breweries involved want to make sure their best and freshest beers are pouring at Hop City 2018. This is list is 100% final now…. We think. To ensure the highest standards of freshness and quality, we have managed the transportation of all our international beers with great care. All our US products have been cold-chain airfreighted from their respective breweries, while our Scandinavian &amp; European beers have been fast tracked over from the continent by our friends at The Bottle Shop &amp; Vertical Drinks. You won’t get these beers fresher anywhere in the UK, and we can’t wait for you to get stuck into them!<br />
As with last year’s festival, this import lark doesn’t come cheap – we’ve freighted 4 breweries over from the US this year and as a result this cost is indeed reflected in the small increase in token price. Naturally, these beers are also limited, so will be allocated equally between sessions - some of the most popular beers may run dry towards the end of the session but there’s so much great stuff across all the breweries we’re sure that you won’t be disappointed. If there’s something you really want to try, go and try it… ☺</p>
<p>RETAIL<br />
Northern Monk products will be available for retail from the main Refectory bar, but for consumption outside the festival only. You will receive a token when purchasing, then you may collect your bounty at the end of the session. We will have an Open Day at the Refectory on Sunday 1st April, where any remaining beers will be available for general sale, takeaway and growler fills. No small pack from pouring breweries will be available to purchase, this is exclusively for special tasting slots during the festival sessions.<br />
There will be small tastings of different Foam Brewers, Bissell Brothers, &amp; Equilibrium beers during each session. These are ticketed on a first come first served basis from the entry gate upon arrival. The tastings will run as follows…<br />
DAY SESSIONS – Foam @ 12:30pm in the Brewery (2 pours) - £5<br />
Bissell Bros @ 1:30pm in the Brewery (2 pours) - £5<br />
Equilibrium @ 2:30pm in the Brewery (1 pour) - £4</p>
<p>EVE SESSIONS - Foam @ 7:00pm in the Brewery (2 pours) - £5<br />
Bissell Bros @ 8:00pm in the Brewery (2 pours) - £5<br />
Equilibrium @ 9:00pm in the Brewery (1 pour) - £4</p>
<p>FOOD<br />
We’re super lucky to present a number of magnificent food traders to keep those tummies lined at Hop City. We will have Caribbean Cafe, Wapentake, El Marchador Tacos, ParmStar and Holy Crab all slinging their wares your way and great beery snacks lined up too. Maude Coffee Roasters will be providing a caffeine fix for that late-session pick up! All food traders will be operating a non-token policy so please make sure you have alternative payment available. There are cash points at Leeds Central Station and on Water Lane for withdrawals.</p>
<p>OTHER BEVERAGES<br />
The Northern Monk Refectory bar will be supplying their regular range of soft drinks, wine and spirits throughout the festival for non-beer drinkers. These will also non-token items, card facilities are available inside the Refectory.</p>
<p>MERCH<br />
We will have a dedicated merchandise stand flogging all sorts of great NMBCo &amp; Hop City merch…. Keep your eye out for our special edition James Butler tees, their limited so don’t hold off!</p>
<p>TOILETS<br />
The second floor toilets on the Chapter Hall level will be closed to the public. The indoor first floor toilets on the Refectory Level will be LADIES ONLY. Gents toilets will be situated outside, behind the building and there will be plenty ☺. There is also an accessible bathroom on the brewery level, should you need to access this then please grab a member of the Festival Team.<br />
Please respect your fellow humans, anyone seen displaying unruly bathroom manners will be rejected from the festival!</p>
<p>AND...<br />
Enjoy yourself, drink some great beer, be kind to others and take it easy! Be sure to tag us in your social media posts and photos over the weekend @hopcityleeds, @northernmonk &amp; @northernmonkrefectory ☺.</p>
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Sun, 25 Mar 2018 09:19:00 +0000russell541 at https://www.northernmonkbrewco.comNorthern Rising | Crowd Funding | Our Approach https://www.northernmonkbrewco.com/blog/2018/02/northern-rising-crowd-funding-our-approach
<span class="submitted-by">Posted: 24 February 2018</span>
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<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_img_5860_preview.jpeg?itok=F7G9Ec4j" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" />We’ve been putting out teasers for a couple of weeks, bar staff have been wearing Northern Rising T-shirts and we did a little interview for Good Beer Hunting earlier this week. By the time you read this blog post, many of you will know of our decision to accelerate our growth and raise money through selling a portion of our company, to you...</p>
<p>It’s fair to say, this is a monumental moment in the life of our business and the blog post to accompany it has not been easy to write. Do we tell the full story of how we got to where we are today? Do we just detail bullet points and answer some FAQ’s from the outset. </p>
<p>We decided to do both. For those with an intense schedule for their day, we’re going to kick off with some headline info and answers to burning questions. For those with a leisurely Sunday planned (this blog was originally posted on a Sunday) we’ve included a long read to accompany your morning coffee or afternoon beer. </p>
<p>Here we go... </p>
<h4>Why have you decided to crowd fund rather than use other sources of finance?</h4>
<p>Inspired by the role of beer at the centre of communities for thousands of years, Northern Monk has always been built around a collective of people and the idea of community is at the core of what we do. For us, this is an opportunity to add likeminded people to our ranks. By giving you the opportunity to buy into our brewery, we hope to surround the business with bright ambitious minds and feel this is as fundamental to accelerating our growth as the funding is. </p>
<h4>Why now?</h4>
<p>The timing just feels right, but I guess there's a whole heap of reasons. We’ve grown rapidly over the past three years, with sales doubling year-on-year and our targets set on £4M this financial year. To be honest, it’s been a whirlwind. We’ve concentrated on making the best beer we possibly can, and the rest has largely just fallen into place. It feels like every once in a while we lift our heads from the job of trying to improve what we already do, to look at what’s next, and something pops up that compels us to take the next step... </p>
<p>We’ve had friends, family, key business customers as well passionate followers and believers in our brand want to invest from the outset. We’re at a stage in the business now where we’ve seen consistent and good growth (effectively 100% year on year), solid profitability (trading profits / EBITDA at £255K last financial year). Where we can be fairly confident saying to those people, "Now is the right time to invest". We’re stable, we’ve shown we can do it and we effectively want to triple what we’ve achieved over the next three years.</p>
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<h4>What will you do with the money?</h4>
<p>100% of the money will be spent on growth and development of our brand. </p>
<ul><li>8 X 10,000 litre fermentation vessels effectively tripling our current capacity. </li>
<li>A new canning line capable of canning over 8,000 cans per hour </li>
<li>Developing our wild beer and barrel ageing programme adding new barrels from across the world as well as oak foudres and a coelschip </li>
</ul><p>If we surpass our initial target of £0.5M and get close to the £1M mark, we will look to fast track the opening of new tap rooms in London and Manchester. The ideal situation would be to have a brewpub in London and possibly look to do this in conjunction with one of our friends from the U.S. In terms of the food offering, we've always been believers in using third party caterers for our kitchen space and we see this model being rolled out. We're excited by the prospect of brining some of the North's finest progressive food to the capital with us too. </p>
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<h4>How quickly do you see these things happening? </h4>
<p>We have two established production sites with the second ready for imminent expansion. These are not long term plans, the 8 additional fermentation vessels should be ready to ship in April. The canning line will be with us within a matter of months. The plans for further tap rooms would come to fruition in 12 to 24 months. </p>
<h4>Do you see a number of crowd funding rounds in the future of Northern Monk and is this part of future growth plans? </h4>
<p>The short answer is no. We believe we can self fund our future plans once we have the boost from this initial crowd funding round. We feel for our business building a community around the brand at this stage when we're in a solid position and about to enter another major growth phase is the right time to ensure that those that do join us on our journey see the most value and return on that investment. </p>
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<h4>Your growth plans are hugely ambitious. How do you plan to achieve them? </h4>
<p>We’re still unable to keep up with demand. There’s huge potential overseas, we’re inundated with enquiries from China, Russia the USA. We haven’t begun to tap into South America. There’s lots to go at. At the moment we have someone who manages our international enquiries alongside a host of other responsibilities. With a dedicated approach, we believe we can get our international sales up from ~15% to ~30-40% of turnover. </p>
<p>Our sales are currently &gt;60% can. This is the reverse of many breweries and we plan to build on our draft volumes with key products that we feel occupy a unique space in the market. We want to brew a lot more Faith and see it readily available on draft a lot more... </p>
<p>Opening a small number of Northern Monk tap rooms in key cities is also an important part of our plans. We feel we can offer something different by rolling out The Refectory experience, offering super fresh Northern Monk beer straight from our production site as well as using everything we've learnt over the past four years to brew site exclusive beers in a brewpub format. </p>
<p>Following the success of our Indian inspired beers both with Drew Millward and Bundobust, we're hard at work on R&amp;D as we look to build on this range and roll out the collaboration. </p>
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<h4>Your forecast for 2020 is almost £10M. Do you feel you can retain Northern Monk's identity and ethos when brewing at such a large scale?</h4>
<p>We wouldn't do this if we didn't. We feel we are lucky (and work extremely hard to) count ourselves as one of the few breweries who's output has only improved throughout a rapid growth phase. We still know we can do better though and we use every day as an opportunity to improve our output. </p>
<p>Last year we commissioned one of the largest street art pieces in the North working with Nomad Clan, Tank Petrol as well as local government partners. The piece is a homage to the industry and history of the surrounding area. Our rapid growth will only increase our ability to do large scale collaborative and community driven projects in addition to further innovation in beer, packaging and ultimately your experience. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_0r1a4211_preview.jpeg?itok=3NVVGqdZ" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<h4>Is there any support available to would be investors?</h4>
<p>Yes, there is a government scheme which means you can claim 30% of your investment back from your tax. More information can be found here - <a href="https://www.crowdcube.com/pg/eis-tax-relief-for-investors-44">https://www.crowdcube.com/pg/eis-tax-relief-for-investors-44</a></p>
<h4>When will the campaign go live?</h4>
<p>A matter of days. We’ll let you know. Watch this space or submit your email and we’ll let you know as soon as we do. We value all investments and we look forward to welcoming as many people on board as possible. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact us at <span class="spamspan"><span class="u">jointherising</span> [at] <span class="d">northernmonkbrewco.com</span></span>. Please state the amount you are considering and we can look to provide further details and answer any questions in advance so you do not miss out on your opportunity when we do go live. </p>
<h4>When will the payment be taken?</h4>
<p>Initially Crowdcube will just ask for the pledge to be made, payment will be arranged upon completion of a successful campaign. </p>
<h4>Will there be perks?</h4>
<p>We want to structure this offering so that the main perk will be owning a piece of a rapidly growing business making an impact on the world beer scene. Will there be perks in addition to that? Damn right there will. Lifetime Hop City weekend passes. Exclusive merch from Drew Millward. Drinking Goblets we’ll fill for you at any of our tap rooms. Exclusive investor beer. Not 100% set yet but we’re thinking Glory turned up to 11 with our biggest dry Hop addition to date. Let’s make that decision together once you’re in though. Want a new title, we got you. Knight of the North, Lord of the Realm, King or Queen of the North. Lots available. </p>
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<p>Further details on the campaign and the opportunity to submit your email so we can contact you as soon as we go live can be found at <a href="http://www.northernrising.com">www.northernrising.com</a></p>
<p>Still hungry for more information have another 20 minutes to spare? Waiting for your Yorkshire's to rise? and want to know more about how £5,000 gifted from a Grandparent became a company set to turnover £4,000,000 in a few years... Read on. </p>
<p>Our journey began in 2008. Inspired by trips to the United States and Belgium and tired of a UK beer scene that felt lacklustre in comparison. We entered a young entrepreneurs competition with an idea to start a new brewery that embraced the best of the Global Beer scene. A progressive approach to ingredients, techniques and branding from the U.S. The magic of Belgian beer, the history heritage and tradition of beer in Britain and an identity that reflected our Northern roots and environment: Northern Monk. The idea did well but we decided to focus on our day jobs. </p>
<p>In 2013 we received £5,000 from a Grandparent who had sold her home and split the equity between the grandchildren. Northern Monk truly began. We started life in a parents cellar, using other breweries facilities to brew the beer, selling it at farmers markets across the North. </p>
<p>In 2014 we took on investment. Not satisfied with the level of control we had when using other breweries facilities we set out to find our own premises. We wanted somewhere that reflected our Northern roots, that was also accessible to use as a tap room. We found a Grade II listed mill building just outside the centre of Leeds. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/img_3814_1.jpg?itok=iH_ImLK5" width="400" height="300" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<p>In October 2014 we launched our own brewery and tap room at The Old Flax Store. We started on a 10BBL Marlex kit with three fermentation vessels quickly adding a further two. When the nearest industrial unit to the Old Flax Store became available we decided it was too good an opportunity to miss, so late 2015 we moved our offices and cold storage to a second site, we also added a further 7 vessels to The Old Flax Store. In March 2016 we became the first English brewery to win a medal in an IPA category at the World Beer Cup. An award that held particular importance to us given the fact that we were so inspired by the history and heritage of brewing in England. </p>
<p>In 2016 we made a trip to the East Coast of the U.S. With many of our IPA’s already being more "East Coast" in style this trip was incredibly inspiring and helped further set a course for lower bitterness juice forward IPA’s. It was also our first encounter with one of our hero’s, John Kimmich (founder of The Alchemist and brewing mind behind Focal Banger and Heady Topper). John was really into Heathen, it was a great confidence boost for us and another sign that we were on the right track. We were assured he wasn’t just being polite when on a trip to Ireland he asked if we could ship a case of IPA’s so he could make sure he had a good supply whilst away from home. </p>
<p>Working at capacity throughout all of the expansions we started to think about what a next step might be in the summer of 2016. To a certain extent our fate has always been determined by the industrial property available close to our original Old Flax Store Home. </p>
<p>When a 10,000 sq ft unit with additional office space and good head height became available to rent. Again, the nearest suitable property of it's kind it slowly became clear it was time for our next big move. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_0r1a4242_preview.jpeg?itok=DnwXaQIZ" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<p>In April 2017 we started brewing at our new Sydenham Rd site. We'd installed a 30BBL Gravity brew kit, two 60BBL fermentation vessels and four 30BBL fermentation vessels. For the first time we had room to breathe. Or so we thought, we christened our new kit with collaborations with Other Half, Deya X Verdant and Alefarm. Within two months we were brewing at capacity again. We felt broadly speaking, our beers were tasting better than ever before. Now we'll be the first to admit we're not perfect but as long as we can say there is constant improvement, we're happy... Some standouts from last year for us were City of Industry (with accompanying street art piece), DDH Saison with Alefarm, Trilogy Hops with Deya, Double Mango with Drew Millward, we're also really happy with where Faith and Heathen are... </p>
<p>Last month we were rated as one of the top 100 brewers in the world according to Ratebeer, an accolade that took us by surprise but also took us years ahead of where we expected to be. It was again another sign that we were on the right track. </p>
<p>Our original canning line isn't fast enough to keep up, we had a choice of going to a split shift system with the line operating around the clock or looking at new lines. We still couldn't make enough beer. It made more sense to buy 8 fermentation vessels at a reduced rate per unit and get the infrastructure in place to support them in one go than to do a few at a time. </p>
<p>We've had friends, family and businesses that have grown with the brand keen to invest from the outset. We felt were were in a strong place to put a valuation on the business that allowed people to invest, giving us capital to really accelerate our growth and let them see a return on their investment. We have always tried to do things our own way and as far as possible. The right way. This felt like an opportunity for a win win situation and an opportunity to do just that. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.northernrising.com">www.northernrising.com</a></p>
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Sat, 24 Feb 2018 21:17:00 +0000russell536 at https://www.northernmonkbrewco.comMeet Colin Stronge - Production Managerhttps://www.northernmonkbrewco.com/blog/2017/12/meet-colin-stronge-production-manager
<span class="submitted-by">Posted: 21 December 2017</span>
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<p>We think it's pretty important to give context to the things that we do here at NMBCo. We put a lot of effort into conveying this in our peel and reveal labels and we strive to create more than just great beer. With this in mind, we think that we should really give you a chance to get to know the people behind the beer. Over the coming months, we will be conducting interviews and providing insights from the inner circle of the Northern Monk Brethren. So without further ado, let's kick this off with a conversation about all things beer (and beaches) with our newest addition and Production Manager, Mr Colin Stronge. </p>
<p>If there's one brewery (or more) that most inspires you, which one would it be and why?</p>
<p>Jester King have always been a massive favourite. Their whole philosophy of the brewery is inspiring; their use of local ingredients; the commitment to mixed fermentation; the development and evolution of the collected strains they use; the delicious beer that all of this combines to create are a thing of total fascination to me. Combined with all of this and their delicious beers, they are some of the nicest and most genuine people you could ever hope to meet. </p>
<p>When did you first fall in love with beer and which beer was it?</p>
<p>The first time I really enjoyed a beer was Kronenbourg on holiday with family in France, the first time I fell in love with it was Rodenbach Grand Cru in The Maltings in York. I’m not quite sure what I expected when I ordered it, but it absolutely blew my mind and changed the way I look at beer entirely.</p>
<p> What are your top 3 beers of the year?</p>
<p>Hof ten Dormaal, Stekelbees Zure van Tildonk. I had this in Bundobust the Saturday evening after Dark City and was blown away. Raspingly sour like a mix between a lambic and a saison with added gooseberries. What’s not to like?</p>
<p>Arizona Wilderness, American Presidential Stout (2017). Big, rich, lightly spicy, chocolately goodness. I look forward to this beer every year, but I think this year’s version was one of the best.</p>
<p>Magic Rock, Fantasma. Became my go-to beer this summer. Just a really drinkable IPA made with a lot of citra and everyone loves some citra!</p>
<p> Top 3 ever?</p>
<p>-Brasserie d’Orval, Orval, just an absolutely beautiful classic, probably the closest thing we have in the modern age to an original IPA, laced with saaz hop spiciness and the gentle devlopment of brettanomyces in the bottle. </p>
<p>-3 Fontainen, Schaarbeekse Kriek. It’s becoming rare to see this beer as the small, native cherries of the Pojottenland are becoming harder to come by, but when I can get my hands on one it’s deep cherry flavour balances perfectly with a biting acidity and is too good to pass by.</p>
<p>-Heineken Nederland Heineken, because sometimes, you just need a completely singular, industrial lager</p>
<p> If you had to take a long walk along a beach, which beach would it be? (Guest question by Soren of Dry &amp; Bitter)</p>
<p>One of the prettiest places I’ve ever been is Cape Tribulation in Queensland, the most perfect white beach meets the perfect blue sea and where the rainforest and Great Barrier Reef are at their closest. We went in jelly fish season so couldn’t get in the sea, would love to return and go swimming there.</p>
<p>Which beer would you say you are most proud of having been involved with?</p>
<p>One of my absolute favourites was the Deep Rainbow Valley that we brewed with my good friends from Arizona Wilderness a few years back. It was a 9% saison with orange juice and gorse flowers which we foraged ourselves around Buxton and Chesterfield. We did two versions, one bottle conditioned with brett and one without and both were as close to perfect as I could have wanted.</p>
<p>What are you most looking forward to brewing here with us at Northern Monk?</p>
<p>I’m really excited to brew a mid strength bretted pale ale, but probably no-more-so than brewing Heathen or Strannik. </p>
</div>
Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:23:00 +0000Chrltt526 at https://www.northernmonkbrewco.comCASK BEER | OUR APPROACH https://www.northernmonkbrewco.com/blog/2017/11/cask-beer-our-approach
<span class="submitted-by">Posted: 17 November 2017</span>
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<p>Following the interview with The Morning Advertiser recently we felt it was important to clarify our stance on cask beer. The interview was totally off the cuff and offered a frank insight into our current business situation. Inevitably when the resulting article was published there was much we would have liked to have said to give the piece more context. So here it is. </p>
<p>First and foremost we love cask beer. You only have to look as far as our social media feed to see that we have extolled the beauty of cask beer on more than one occasion. Whenever we have guests in from overseas, after drinking at our tap room we head up to Whitelocks to drink some of the regions finest cask libations. </p>
<p>We have not stopped producing cask beer. We just don't do very much of it. The decision to focus on other packaging formats is multi tiered.</p>
<p>- We're not set up to produce cask beer. We have no cask washing equipment, we have no casks of our own.<br />
- The vast majority of our beer lends itself better to keg. We believe heavily hopped beer is best showcased with the sharper carbonation that kegged beer provides.<br />
- I would take a pint of Landlord 9 times out of 10 vs any of our beers in cask. I simply don't feel cask beer is our strong point. I'd rather leave it to the masters.<br />
- logistically it's a massive headache for us.<br />
- We're working at capacity. It makes no sense for us to package in a format that we're not really set up for, has a lower market value than other packaged formats and our beer isn’t particularly suited to.<br />
- We tried to produce a beer designed specifically for cask. True North. We never felt we quite nailed it. </p>
<p>As a brewery we're deeply passionate about making some of the best beer we possibly can. The aim is to hopefully produce some of the best interpretations of styles in the world. There are breweries out there that are deeply passionate about brewing cask beer specifically and have QC and R&amp;D practices that are built around this format. I'd rather drink cask beer from them. </p>
<p>The cask market in the U.K. is suffering from an unrealistic market price. There are a number of reasons for this. </p>
<p>- The small brewers duty relief that can be a huge help to a startup brewery isn't always used responsibly and there are breweries that use this to leverage an artificially and unrealistically low price for cask beer. Larger breweries who choose to compete on price but dont have the same duty break then have to try and cut costs and user cheaper or fewer ingredients.<br />
- Not enough has been done to protect and nurture cask beer by industry bodies. Whilst CAMRA's attention has been on what to do with the rise of keg beer, issues with low pricing and quality have seemingly been left unattended. </p>
<p>If you would like to try our beer in cask, we've arranged a takeover at Whitelocks &amp; Turks Head. We’re finalising the details but will have 4 cask lines in Whitelocks and 4 keg lines in Turks Head, so you can decide for yourself the format the beers are best suited to. Keep an eye on our social media feed for details we hope to pull this together in the next couple of weeks. </p>
<p>If you would like to buy our beer in cask, talk to us about it. If you're happy to pay the price, are passionate about cellar management we're happy to do it. </p>
<p>Some of our favourite cask beer in the region comes from Hawkshead, Timothy Taylors, Roosters, Magic Rock, Abbeydale, Kirkstall, Saltaire and Ilkley. Whether you're a brewer or a publican we'd recommend seeking it out and not complaining about the price! </p>
<p>Viva le cask. </p>
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Fri, 17 Nov 2017 17:00:00 +0000russell515 at https://www.northernmonkbrewco.comPACKAGING AND DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANT VACANCYhttps://www.northernmonkbrewco.com/blog/2017/11/packaging-and-distribution-assistant-vacancy
<span class="submitted-by">Posted: 17 November 2017</span>
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<p>We currently have a space within the Brethren for a new member.<br />
The role is varied and covers a few area's so please read carefully and only apply if you think that you fit the bill!</p>
<p>Duties;<br />
• Local beer deliveries<br />
• Ensuring deliveries are completed in a safe and timely manner<br />
• Packaging/building pallets for collection in accordance with company practice<br />
• Ensuring pallets are constructed so contents are safe and secure in transit<br />
• Assisting with canning/boxing/packaging of beer as required<br />
• Helping to maintain clean and organised cold store and warehouse<br />
• Assisting with stock taking and record keeping as directed<br />
• Carry out any general housekeeping required in the brewery/warehouse to ensure that it is safe and well organised<br />
• Carry out routine maintenance tasks as required<br />
• Work in a clean and tidy fashion at all times</p>
<p>Skills;<br />
• Full clean driving license<br />
• Safe lifting techniques<br />
• Experience of packaging / pallet building<br />
• Forklift experience desirable</p>
<p>Competencies;<br />
• Organised<br />
• Self-motivated<br />
• Good communicator<br />
• Working to deadlines<br />
• Adaptable to varied day-to-day duties</p>
<p>Relationships;<br />
• Direct Line manager is Packaging and Warehouse Coordinator<br />
• Work alongside the Brewing and Sales teams</p>
<p>To apply, please send over your CV and cover letter to <span class="spamspan"><span class="u">ciaran</span> [at] <span class="d">northernmonkbrewco.com</span></span> with the subject title "Brewery Vacancy".</p>
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Fri, 17 Nov 2017 16:48:00 +0000Chrltt514 at https://www.northernmonkbrewco.comBREWERY ASSISTANT VACANCYhttps://www.northernmonkbrewco.com/blog/2017/11/brewery-assistant-vacancy
<span class="submitted-by">Posted: 10 November 2017</span>
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<p> We are currently searching for a Brewery Assistant to join the Northern Monk Brethren. Please read the spec carefully and apply if you believe that you have what it takes!</p>
<p>Duties:<br />
• Ensure that all vessels, equipment and facilities are kept clean and hygienic<br />
• Assist in all aspects of brewing process<br />
• Carry out any general housekeeping required in the brewery to ensure that it is safe and well organised<br />
• Assist with recording raw materials, production stage timings, batch codes and quality checks when required<br />
• Manual operation of the production process and equipment<br />
Handling of brewery waste streams and ensuring correct disposal and recycling<br />
Assisting with stock taking and record keeping as directed<br />
• Assisting the retail and wholesale teams with any general enquiries regarding the brewery activities<br />
• Ensure that the day to day management of Health and Safety is in line with company policies<br />
• Ensure casks and kegs are serviced, checked and cleaned prior to packaging runs<br />
• Operation of packaging process and equipment<br />
• Carry out routine maintenance tasks as directed<br />
• Assist wholesale team with ullage procedure<br />
• Contribute ideas for new beers and improving processes<br />
Weekend beer checks and actions<br />
• Attending beer festivals and meet the brewer events<br />
• Assisting with tours, brew schools and other in house events </p>
<p>Skills:<br />
• Safe lifting techniques<br />
• Good understanding of COSHH<br />
• Knowledge of the Craft Beer industry<br />
• General knowledge of brewing science<br />
• Risk Assessment<br />
• Record Keeping </p>
<p>Competencies:<br />
Self Starter<br />
Excellent hygiene standards<br />
• Problem solver<br />
• Organisation<br />
• Prioritisation<br />
• Communication<br />
• Working under pressure </p>
<p>Relationships:<br />
- Direct Line Manager is the Lead Brewer<br />
- Works along side the Technical Brewers and Warehouse Operatives</p>
<p> If you’ve read this far and believe that you are what we are looking for then please send your cover letter and CV to <span class="spamspan"><span class="u">colin</span> [at] <span class="d">northernmonkbrewco.com</span></span> with subject title “Brewery Assistant”.</p>
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Fri, 10 Nov 2017 11:59:00 +0000Chrltt513 at https://www.northernmonkbrewco.comDARK CITY 2017https://www.northernmonkbrewco.com/blog/2017/11/dark-city-2017
<span class="submitted-by">Posted: 01 November 2017</span>
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<p>Earlier this year we held Hop City. The festival brought together some of the worlds finest brewers of Hop forward beer including a number who’s beer hadn’t made it to UK shores. We had a great time and the overwhelming feedback from you was that you did too. With Hop City we looked at what an ideal festival would be like for us, it was a different approach to any UK beer festival across a number of areas but we took a risk and went for it. With over a year to wait until the next one and so many other styles we felt would suit a style led festival we decided to do a similar thing. A festival combining Rock Music, Dark Beer and Fire. We were excited. It was a bigger risk with an even smaller target audience but we’d done it once, surely we could do it again. This Friday we bring you Dark City - celebrating some of the worlds rarest and most sought after dark beers. Again, it’s a fairly new format in terms of beer and entertainment; so we thought we’d take the opportunity to address some questions and provide a bit more information on what’s in store. </p>
<p>SESSIONS &amp; TIMES<br />
The festival sessions will run Friday 12pm-4:30pm &amp; 6pm-10:30pm and Saturday 12pm-4:30pm &amp; 6pm-11:30pm. Afternoon session attendees will have until 4.45pm to leave the premises, and pouring will cease at 4.20pm &amp; 10.20pm (11:20pm on Saturday) respectively – we ask that all of our guests please be considerate &amp; respectful to surrounding residents when leaving the festival.</p>
<p>BEER &amp; TOKENS!<br />
If you have purchased a ticket you will have (hopefully) noticed that you’ve paid £15 for it OR £18 for it on Saturday night (when there’s entertainment too). Once again we have worked incredibly hard to source the best dark beers in the world. Some of which has had to be flown in from around the world. The beer for this festival also averages out at around 9% ABV. This does come at a cost. We’ve tried to offset the cost of the tokens with the ticket price. So tokens will be priced at £2.80 individually or 8 for £20. If you buy wisely that’s £2.50 for thirds of some of the most sought after beer in the world, which is cheaper than we bought them for ;) If you buy really wisely you could share your thirds of super the super strong beers with a pal and it’s a Yorkshire friendly £1.25. Once again, we ask that everyone drinks responsibly and knows their limits. Also worth remembering that there are plenty of beers below 7%. You've just got to hunt them out, there will be a small selection of lighter beers pouring on the main Refectory bar also to refresh your palate...</p>
<p>BEER LINEUP<br />
With Hop City, we decided to have all breweries pour two beers for the duration of the festival; mainly to offset FOMO fears and also cater for the very high demand involved with the beers that were pouring. As Dark City is somewhat more niche, and brings a wider spectrum of styles to the table we will be mixing it up a bit more throughout the whole festival. There are 25 breweries bringing along 80+ beers over two amazing days of beer, which naturally means that some beers will be on at different times to others…. Each brewery will be pouring two beers at any one time, and we have curated the list to ensure that there will always be a good chunk of more sessionable beers available for whenever you need them! As with Hop City, we want to ensure that all sessions are given equal consideration so there’s PLENTY of beer left for final session revellers on Saturday Night :) Friday’s opening lineup has been published already, and we will endeavour to publish each session’s list on social media before it starts.</p>
<p>RETAIL<br />
After hearing from numerous people that they’d like the opportunity to take some beer away, we’re stoked to announce that we’ve partnered with Beer Merchants who are bringing a bottle shop stocked with the finest offerings from the UK and across the world. Northern Monk beer will be available for takeout from the main bar in The Refectory. </p>
<p>FOOD<br />
We’re super lucky to present a number of magnificent food traders to keep those tummies lined at Dark City. Food is not purchasable with tokens, we advise you bring cash for this purpose. We will have Kerb Edge Burgers and Dim Sum Su in the Gardens and Bears Pantry on the Refectory level. There are cash points at Leeds Central Station and on Water Lane for withdrawals.</p>
<p>ENTERTAINMENT </p>
<p>FRIDAY NIGHT<br />
DJ set from Grave Pleasures. DJ battle between UK brewing heavyweights James Kemp and Colin Stronge. </p>
<p>SATURDAY NIGHT<br />
Steel Cats will be performing their fire infused, pyrotechnic, acrobatic medley and we’ll have music from Barbarian Hermit, Nomasta, Hark and DJ Phil Ford. </p>
<p>I’M A BIT WORRIED ABOUT THE MUSIC<br />
We know heavy metal and rock music isn’t for everyone. On the Refectory level, we will be playing more approachable music all weekend. At the Friday and Saturday afternoon sessions music will take a back seat. On the days we do have music this will just be limited to The Chapter Hall and we plan to keep it at a level so that people can still hold a conversation. Providing they don’t stand in front of a speaker / are crowd surfing. </p>
<p>I JUST WANT TO ROCK OUT<br />
\m/</p>
<p>I DON’T LIKE DARK BEERS<br />
Probably not the right festival for you. HOWEVER we do have a small range of pallet refreshers from Northern Monk &amp; guests on the Refectory bar and the odd non-dark treat from some of the guest breweries. </p>
<p>OTHER BEVERAGES<br />
The Northern Monk Refectory bar will be supplying their regular range of soft drinks, wine and spirits throughout the festival for non-beer drinkers there will also be a small section of NON DARK BEER. These will also be non-token items, card facilities are available inside the Refectory.</p>
<p>TICKETS</p>
<p>There are still limited tickets available for Friday Afternoon/Evening &amp; Saturday Evening. Saturday Afternoon is SOLD OUT. As it stands, there will be a small number of tickets available on the door for the above sessions - Cash Only £15.</p>
<p>AND...<br />
Enjoy yourself, drink some great beer, be kind to others and know your limits! :)</p>
</div>
Wed, 01 Nov 2017 14:40:00 +0000Chrltt512 at https://www.northernmonkbrewco.comCHAPTER III https://www.northernmonkbrewco.com/blog/2017/08/chapter-iii
<span class="submitted-by">Posted: 25 August 2017</span>
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<img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/column-width-cropped/public/main-images/brewhouse.jpg?itok=Av5cD7LG&amp;c=9d933bef02cf11620a379d1680229321" alt="Enormous stainless steel tanks" /> </figure>
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<p>The tanks towered above us. Filled with what we felt was some of the best beer we had produced. It was late April 2017 and filled with hope, excitement and anticipation, it was a good time to be at Northern Monk. All we had to do now was package it… Turns out canning 10,000 litres of beer is not the easiest of jobs. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_nm15306_.jpg?itok=vsk7m-Us" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<p>Our first brew on our new kit was New World IPA. As fate would have it, this was the one and only opportunity to dial in our kit before jumping into collaborations with Alefarm, Deya X Verdant, Other Half and Fieldwork X Lonely Planet. They say fortune favours the brave (foolish) and aside from a fairly epic blowout on the Other Half Brew day (we definitely put Sam &amp; Anthony to work!) we were really happy with the beer we produced. The DDH Saison in particular is one of our favourite beers brewed this year. </p>
<p>Whilst well received here, the follow ups in the Sæsoner series have divided opinion. The Blueberry Wild Ale was our first experiment in adding huge fruit additions to beer. Our original plan was to sell it exclusively through the tap room to recoup some of the costs after topping up with whole blueberries on three different occasions. The final Saison in that series sparked heated debate prior to brewing, with Dave (who’s baby it was) really keen to try to go for a Peaches and Cream style beer in a Saison. For the most part we were pleasantly surprised by how it turned out but it was another one destined to become a marmite beer. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_0r1a5191_.jpg?itok=A109w0Yt" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<p>On the core range we're really happy with the tallboys of both Faith and Heathen coming off the new kit. Faith is without doubt the go-to beer at the brewery these days. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_0r1a5126_.jpg?itok=EdNqkXml" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<p>In the Patrons 6 series with Jon Simmons, we’re excited to launch Kuncklepuck and, with the help of our collaborators at Bissell, we feel it’s one of the best DIPA’s we’ve brewed. With Slam Dank pencilled in the brew schedule we’re running out of beer / sporting / hop pun inspiration for this series. Ideas welcome! </p>
<p>Whilst a DIPA when Bissell were in town was always going to be on the cards, we were also keen to brew something with more of a British take. We decided to incorporate this into our range of ABV defying light beers with Fell Runner Ricky Lightfoot and produced Ingleborough, a Session imperial Stout (Yeah, we know... we eventually settled on Session Porter). It’s a 4% Porter that we’ve packed with as much flavour and body as we possibly could cram into it. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/img_4049.jpg?itok=x4PCkTVw" width="400" height="300" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<p>It’s fair to say the expansion has brought its challenges. Whilst working with the limitations of the Old Flax Store and the first warehouse and offices we took on, it was all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that everything would be easier once we moved to the new site. The majority of production and offices would be under one roof, we'd have roller shutter doors we could bring tanks in through, we'd have flat floors... </p>
<p>Whilst many things have become easier, we’ve inevitably faced new challenges. The leap in size and scale has been in effect like starting an entirely new business. The most terrifying prospect when first brewing on the kit was the potential for something to go wrong with a 60BBL (10,000L litre) batch. Unfortunately within six weeks of production that very scenario was to occur... </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_0r1a4248_.jpg?itok=ahj4smIM" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<p>We have a 30BBL brew kit and so to fill a 60BBL vessel we have to brew twice into it. For a number of reasons (yeast, temperature probes, cooling jackets) we had a batch that layered in tank, leading to incorrect gravity readings (half the beer had finished, half hadn't). This resulted in us packaging early and then the beer going back into secondary fermentation in the can. Literally the worst scenario you could possibly envisage. Fortunately we caught the problem before 90% of the beer had gone out and spent the next few days destroying thousands of cans of Eternal. Needless to say we've adapted QC procedures to ensure that this doesn't happen again. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_0r1a4241_.jpg?itok=olOoA6lN" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<h4>A quest for perfection</h4>
<p>As a brewery, our quest to hone and refine everything that we do is at the core of our approach. One of the initiatives that we’re proud to champion is an exchange programme for our brewers. As brewers reading this will know, whilst there's a lot of fun to be had, brewing is largely cleaning and lots of long hours. Just this week we had two of the brew team sleep overnight and Brian mashed in at 1am at The Old Flax Store this morning (that's a whole other story though). Anyway, we're keen to give something back. </p>
<p>This initiative saw Brian head to Louisville to work with Against the Grain for three weeks in 2015, Adam (Old Flax Store, Lead Brewer) fly to sunny Florida to brew with Cigar City for three weeks and most recently Fraser (Technical Brewer) head to Fieldwork in San Francisco in June. I (Russell) accompanied Fraser on his visit (sometimes you’ve just got to get your hands dirty). It was fascinating to see the way the West Coast scene has developed over the last few years in comparison to the East Coast. It’s fair to say that North of Monkish West Coast IPAs still reign supreme. Whilst Fieldwork, Alvarado, Cellarmaker and Moonraker are all producing examples of the New England style, it is still not as prevalent as on the East Coast or even in the UK. That's probably a whole other blog post though... </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_ar5a2961_.jpg?itok=UscNmMvw" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<p>In 2013 (somewhat naively it could be said) we set out to make some of the best beer in the world with little resources and little experience, gypsy brewing on a small old trad kit in North Yorkshire. Just over three years later and with over 1000% more capacity and only the experience gained in the time since, it’s the same raison d’être that gets us out of bed each morning. We have however recently made an appointment that will triple the years of experience we have in the brew team and advance our quest… We’re excited to welcome Colin Stronge to lead our production team in October. For many of us at the brewery Colin is one of the brewers that inspired us to start our journey into beer and we’re humbled that he will be joining us. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_ar5a4379_tom_joys_conflicted_copy_2016-11-09.jpg?itok=b2hm3byw" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<p>Colin brings with him years of experience and amongst many other things his addition to the team means we can start to fast track our wild beer and ageing programme. In the past this was an area we were reluctant to delve too deep into because we felt we didn’t have the knowledge and experience within the team to do the styles justice. But our original brew kit at The Old Flax Store is the perfect home for this and something we had always planned to do in time. Colin starts with us in October and we’ll have more news on our plans once he is with us. </p>
<p>We also recently said goodbye to Dave Kerr, who after two years was still unable to find a good enough Parmo in Leeds and ultimately decided to move further North. We're delighted that he has joined our friends at Wylam and our paths will no doubt cross again in the years to come. Thanks again to Dave who played a big role in our journey over the last couple of years. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_0r1a4211_.jpg?itok=_8Gagzf6" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<h4>Our Community</h4>
<p>The Northern Monk Patrons project was initiated shortly after our launch at The Old Flax Store. We wanted to use our place in the community to provide a platform through the resources we had to give something back. This resulted in a promotional video made with local director Jack King. Including The Evolution of Tradition - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8-btjl1KQE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8-btjl1KQE</a> as well as producing the Wasted beer with the Real Junk Food Project. Wasted was brewed with croissants and brioche destined for landfill and pears past their BBE. The Real Junk Food Project was designed to highlight the global problem of food waste. </p>
<p>However the Northern Monk Patrons truly took flight when we decided to produce a photography exhibition through the medium of beer with our in-house photographer Tom Joy. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_ar5a4461_.jpg?itok=jFuS7DKQ" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<p>Recently we took the Patrons project to the streets and with the help of Leeds City Council we gave the wall of a derelict building in Holbeck a facelift. The piece, painted by Nomad Clan &amp; Tank Petrol, is homage to the industrial heritage of Holbeck and features John Marshall, founder of the Marshall empire and Hayley’s (Nomad Clan) grandpa who worked in the mills. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_0r1a5160_.jpg?itok=kkC5FStF" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<h4>Hop City</h4>
<p>Hop City itself was a blast and we’ve been blown away by the support for the festival up and down the country. Seems like everyone had a good time. We knew we had a good lineup, we feel our building is a really special place and all we needed was people to turn up and have fun. They did that and then some. </p>
<p>Amongst everything else, we’re in the process of planning Dark City. Think Hop City but dark beer, heavy metal and fire (we’re still working on how we deliver on the fire safely). We might be even more excited for this than Hop City… Tickets are released next Tuesday (29th) at The Refectory. We've got some of the worlds best brewers of dark beer lined up ready to party with you from the 3rd to the 5th of November. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/img_8963.jpg?itok=X2pq9n7J" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<p>As an extension of Hop City, we decided to host some Hop City Sessions. As such we invited some of our favourite dabblers in juice. This also included the team at Bissell. We met the guys at Bissell at a beer festival in Vermont in 2015 after a party that resulted in losing hire car keys, a wallet, two coats and time on the roof of the hotel (hire car keys turned up in an Uber, the rest is still somewhere in Vermont). But we became good friends and had talked a number of times about bringing them and their beer over for a tour of some of our favourite UK beer bars. </p>
<p>It was a fairly epic operation but we just about pulled it off. Everything got a bit Jack Bauer when the pallets sent to JFK Airport had traces of explosives (presumably they had been used for fertiliser previously). This meant shipping the beer back down to Portland Maine, de-palletising and then wrapping it all up again to send back through. Throughout the entire shipment all the beer was in refrigerated trucks. The total cost of transport alone (not including beer, staff hours, travel or accommodation) was ~£13,000. The beer was tasting as fresh as it does from the tap though, so it was all worthwhile. Thanks to everyone who came and showed their support at the venues across the country. We're stoked to have Bissell with us at Hop City 2018. Rumour has it, there will be Swish too. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/nmbco_-_tom_joy_ar5a3020_.jpg?itok=jq0xZa5a" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<h4>Archie</h4>
<p>Not to end on a sad note but it is with heavy hearts we have to announce that Archie has passed away. Whilst you would never know, Archie fought a brave battle with cancer over the last year. More than just a brewery dog, Archie was the tap rooms most regular customer and in a business built around the collective rather than individuals he was possibly the most well known member of the team here. We would like to thank everyone who came and hung out with him at the tap room and entertained his passion for chasing balls, sticks and dog chews (anything really). He will be sorely, sorely missed. Needless to say the new dogs in team monk have big shoes to fill. Rest in peace Archie. </p>
<p><img src="//www.northernmonkbrewco.com/sites/default/files/styles/half-column-centred/public/inline-images/blog/ricky_lightfoot_-_tom_joy_0r1a8651_.jpg?itok=SQKPfbfq" width="400" height="267" alt="" class="image-half-column-centred" /></p>
<p>Our thanks as ever to Tom Joy for capturing our journey. </p>
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Fri, 25 Aug 2017 10:04:00 +0000russell505 at https://www.northernmonkbrewco.comJOIN THE BRETHREN | VACANCY | CUSTOMER SERVICES ADMINISTRATORhttps://www.northernmonkbrewco.com/blog/2017/07/join-the-brethren-vacancy-customer-services-administrator
<span class="submitted-by">Posted: 06 July 2017</span>
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<p>We are looking for a Customer Services administrator to join our growing team just outside the centre of Leeds.</p>
<p>Responsibilities as follows:</p>
<p>Answering in-bound calls and meeting visitors to the brewery.<br />
Coordinating deliveries to customers and liaising with hauliers.<br />
Assisting with accounts, book keeping and filling.<br />
Raising invoices for customer orders.<br />
Dealing with customer complaints.<br />
Taking bookings or payment by credit card or cash for events, goods or services<br />
Coordinating company web shop stock and deliveries to customers.<br />
Organising delivery of samples.<br />
Attending beer festivals and events as required.<br />
The ideal candidate will be a self starter used to working a multi dimensional role and have an extremely high level of customer service. A knowledge of Sage accounts software would be desirable but not essential.</p>
<p>Interested applicants should submit a CV and covering letter.</p>
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Thu, 06 Jul 2017 12:37:28 +0000russell495 at https://www.northernmonkbrewco.comJOIN THE BRETHREN | VACANCY | PRODUCTION MANAGER https://www.northernmonkbrewco.com/blog/2017/06/join-the-brethren-vacancy-production-manager
<span class="submitted-by">Posted: 29 June 2017</span>
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<p>A new opportunity has arisen to join Northern Monk in the capacity of Production Manager </p>
<p>Responsibilities will be as follows:</p>
<p>- Day to day management of our packaging and brewing activities.<br />
- Forward planning, with Mgt team, of resources, brew plans, Canning schedules.<br />
- Ensuring application &amp; compliance of production staff to all Company and Legal policies, procedures.<br />
- Managing warehousing and distribution / delivery – in conjunction with sales.<br />
- Managing and assigning responsibilities to individuals for H&amp;S, HACCP, Housekeeping, SOPs upkeep, training.<br />
- Ensuring a safe operational environment.<br />
- Day to day Quality Control, compliance to process and product specs<br />
- Quality Assurance – as per specs set by Head Brewer<br />
- Ensuring Production operations are documented as required by the Business and that Packaging contents due diligence is measured, recorded, reported weekly, monthly.<br />
- Managing beer and packaging losses – to reduce down.<br />
- Implementing appropriate training of staff – ensuring up to date SOPs’. Maintaining of SOPs’ / procedural Manual maybe a.n.other’s responsibility – with a view to establishing a Quality System).<br />
- Develop a Maintenance strategy that provides practical, realistic support to the Production operation – whether from local service suppliers and/or spare parts held on site or a short call off.<br />
- With Mgt team, develop / implement process improvements, Plant mods as identified through operations and/or as part of expansion plans.</p>
<p>The ideal candidate will be a highly disciplined and organised individual with significant managerial and leadership experience.</p>
<p>Please email <span class="spamspan"><span class="u">russell</span> [at] <span class="d">northernmonkbrewco.com</span></span> with a CV and covering letter if interested.</p>
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Thu, 29 Jun 2017 17:40:00 +0000russell493 at https://www.northernmonkbrewco.com